New drug cocktail aims to wipe out breast cancer before surgery

NCT ID NCT02326974

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether giving two targeted drugs, T-DM1 and pertuzumab, before surgery can completely eliminate early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. About 164 participants with stage II or III disease will receive the drugs for 18 weeks, then undergo surgery. The main goal is to see how many have no cancer left at the time of surgery.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

T-DM1 (Kadcyla) and pertuzumab (Perjeta)

What this could lead to

If successful, this combination could become a standard preoperative treatment, potentially increasing the chance of eliminating all cancer before surgery.

What could go wrong

This is a phase II trial with 164 participants, so results are still preliminary. The treatment may not work for everyone, especially those with mixed HER2 levels in their tumor.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast neoplasm HER2 positive breast carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

  • Tennessee Oncology/Sarah Cannon Research Institute

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States

  • Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States